The Police at Bonnaroo

Bonnaroo 2007 picture by Tinah Utsman

The Police at Bonnaroo is the eighth installment of Nate Barrett's Bonnaroompah stories about Bonnaroo 2007.

All 10 of the Bonnaroompah Tales
Part One: Bonnaroompah

Part Two: Getting to Bonnaroo

Part Three: Bonnaroo Guest Camping

Part Four: Wednesday Night at Bonnaroo

Part Five: Bonnaroo Begins

Part Six: Thursday Night at Bonnaroo

Part Seven: Friday at Bonnaroo

Part Eight: You Are Here

Part Nine: Saturday Night at Bonnaroo

Part Ten: Sunday at Bonnaroo

In this installment, we find Nate scrapping his way into decent seats for the Police show at Bonnaroo, and he shares his opinion of the show.

And now, on to Nate, and Friday at Bonnaroo

Saturday the Bonnaroompah Band played our two shows, endured the heat, ate great meals, and drank great beer and cocktails.

The Bonnaroompah shows saw some guest stars: Dave Nichols on trombone, Valerie of Christabel and the Jons on clarinet, and Knoxville mistress of song, Sara Schwabe on back up vocals.

Everybody loves to polka!

Good times were had. During the afternoon I enjoyed several acts: Ween, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Demitri Martin and Flight of the Conchords in the Yet Another (Comedy) Tent.

But the main event for the evening would be The Police at Bonnaroo.

After stumbling around trying to find an advantageous spot for viewing, we finally came to rest in the VIP bleachers, which involved even more to-do. And the Police did their thing.

Here's my opinion on the The Police at Bonnaroo in a blow-by-blow review:

Song everyone wanted to hear, YAY!!!
Gosh, does it seem slower than you remember it?
Break down in song you wanted to hear.
Crowd sings funny syllables, call and response style with Sting.
Sting raises the pitch of song to be sung by crowd of thousands and thousands.
We sing funny syllables some more.
Sting goes higher. DUDE, some of us don�t have your girlish register!
Sting goes higher again. Crowd of thousands and thousands give it our best shot.
Back to song you really wanted to hear.
Yeah, that is slower than I remember -- kind of adult contemporary-ized.
Song you never really liked. Huh. I had forgotten about that one.
Another song everyone wanted to hear. YAY!!!
Another breakdown sing along. Wait a minute, we just did this.
What the heck is �Roxanne-oh-oh-whoa� and why are we all singing it? That�s not part of the song!
Higher? Ok, but this seems awfully familiar.
Higher again? C�mon, chief, a little pity on us. We've been sucking Bonnaroo dust all day.
Back to song we all wanted to hear.
Another song we all wanted to hear. YAY!!! This is what The Police at Bonnaroo should be!
Where are those synth pads coming from?
Man, I�m no guitar guy, but that Andy Summer�s solo really sounded like a drunk dude trying to fumble through the changes of Superstition at an open blues jam.
ENCORE!!! YAY!!! Every Breath You Take...huh. Not one of my favorites.

You fellas want to go get some drinks? YAY!!!

I liked (not loved) the Police. It was well worth seeing -- I mean, it was still the Police at Bonnaroo!

...That's it for Nate's review of The Police's show at Bonnaroo 2007. Coming up: more on Nate and the Bonnaroompah band's Saturday at Bonnaroo adventures!

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